The Thursday Wire with Hamish Fletcher: 18/02/10

The Thursday Wire with Hamish Fletcher: 18/02/10

Coming up on the show today:

12:30 Graeme Hunt, campaigner against MMP
On Tuesday the Government announced the details of next year's non binding referendum on MMP which will ask New Zealand if they want to retain the Mixed Member Proportional system. But why is this referendum necessary in the first place? What are the problems with MMP as an electoral system and what could replace it? To explain all of this I've got Graeme Hunt on the show, a long time campaigner against MMP and author of the book "Why MMP Must Go".

12:45 David Clendon, Green MP
In matters of law and order, one would imagine that the Justice Ministry would be at the forefront, as that is the government body which regulates the courts, the body responsible for interpreting statutes and convicting those charged with crimes. However, in a rather unusual move, it seems the justice ministry has been excluded from what may well be one of the defining law and order policies of the current government. I'm talking about the "three-strikes and your out" policy, legislation spearheaded by Act Party, designed to enforce harsher penalties on repeat offenders. Oddly, the justice ministry has not been offered an opportunity to advise on this legislation at select committee and more than this, a Labour minority report criticising the piece of law was blocked by the committee's chairman, National MP Sandra Goudie. Green Party MP David Clendon has attacked this move, claiming it shows how flawed and ineffective this legislation is and he joins me on the Wire to offer his criticism.

13:30 Dear Science, with Peter Griffin from the Science Media Centre
Today on Dear Science Peter and I will talk about the future of DNA profiling in criminal cases, an important topic given that police will soon have wider powers to take DNA from suspects. As well as this, we'll talk about the buzz around Google Buzz, and concerns that it breaches users' privacy. Peter will also fill us in on what's up on Sciblogs.co.nz.

13:40 Papercuts with Pennie - Thanks to MagNation
Papercuts is your weekly magazine review on a Thursday afternoon. This week Pennie reviews 'Apartmento', which she describes as a voyeuristic look at the houses of creative types. Like MTV's Cribs, but less trashy.

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